


My Immortal

by Deniera



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Canon Compliant, Cats, Coming Out, Developing Relationship, Dorks, Friendship, M/M, after that you can imagine what you want, at least until the time in the fic, very light promptio
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-28 17:03:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12611244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deniera/pseuds/Deniera
Summary: Prompto convinces Noct that it's a great idea to care for a stray kitten in his apartment, never mind that neither of them have any experience nor knowledge with cats.It'll work out fine, right?[Side note: This fic was inspired by an actual cat][More urgent side note: Please, dear lord, I swear the title makes sense and is NOT just a parody of a parody]





	My Immortal

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lhugy_for_short](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lhugy_for_short/gifts).



> This is a gift for the lovely Lhugy and her little kitten, Ardyn (yes, that's her name, I'm not kidding).  
> It kinda ran away from me, I never intended for it to be this long, but well. What can you do. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, love! <3
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you so, so much Polaroid_Memories for reading this over and discussing some parts of it with me!

 

 

“Wait, you’re serious.”

“Noct, come _on_.”

“Prompto.”

“Look at all the space you got!”

“Prom, Iggy is not going to have it.”

“Dude, this is your place, isn’t it? So what if you have a cat.”

“It’s not _my_ cat, Prom. Do you know for sure nobody’s looking for her?”

“Noct, buddy. Please. She was crazy happy when I gave her a treat and she followed me all the way home and she was _so_ dirty. Do you really think someone’s missing her when she clearly had been on the street for a while?”

Noctis sighs. It’s not that Prompto isn’t right, his argument is pretty convincing and the cat _is_ goddamn cute. And yeah, he had always wanted a pet, but he can’t even take care of the few decorative plants in his apartment, they’d be all long dead if Ignis wouldn’t come around so often and water them when he was here.

How is he going to take care of a pet, a living animal?

Prompto sees his hesitation and he lights up like a firework.

“Buddy, come on! You know she can’t stay at my place, I can’t just buy a bunch of cat stuff, my parents are gonna be mad when there’s suddenly animal hairs around the house.”

Noctis wants to argue that Prompto’s parents are barely home, so they probably wouldn’t even notice. He keeps it to himself, though. Prompto sounds like he’s actually lived through that situation, and, even though he always speaks with affection about his parents, Noctis doesn’t like them.

It would perhaps be different if he’d ever met them and could witness all these _oh-so-great_ things Prompto sometimes talks about, like pats on the shoulder or a shared meal. As it is, his picture of the Argentums doesn’t look good at all, no matter how much Prompto tries to make them sound like nice people.

Noctis licks his lips.

The small cat sprawled in Prompto’s arms in a position that looks incredibly uncomfortable, limbs and paws sticking out in all directions, meows at him.

“Ugh, she’s cute.”

Prompto grins. “See! Dude, I know you’d love her. And I visit you all the time anyways, I’ll help you take care of her.”

Noctis groans. “You know Iggy is not going to like it.”

Prompto rolls his eyes. “He’s not your mom, dude. And this is _your_ apartment. I bet you as long as we keep her clean and not let her make a mess of the place, he won’t say anything.”

The kitty _mrrrws_ and rubs her face against Prompto’s t-shirt.

Shit.

“Okay, _fine_ ,” Noctis sighs.

Prompto beams at him.

“But you have to promise me that you’ll really come around to help. Prom, I don’t know anything about animals. What do you even feed a cat?”

“Ah, details,” Prompto grins and finally seems like he’s not ready to leave just after arriving. He’s still wearing his jacket and has his bag slung around his shoulder. “We can moogle that stuff,” he says, carefully letting the cat down on the sofa.

She looks around and then slowly walks on it, her tail twitching right and left while she rubs her face over the cushions.

“How do you even know it’s a she?”

“There aren’t any kitty balls, right?” Prompto says, peeling his jacket off and throwing it over one of the chairs at the kitchen counter.

“Hn. Maybe it’s a he and he’s just neut- why did you bring a blanket?”

Prompto blushes a little and laughs like he’s a little embarrassed, his bag sitting empty at his feet.

“Uh, that’s hers. I mean. She slept on it last night and seemed to like it, so… and it’s already full of hair, look!” He holds out the bright blue blanket for Noctis to see and, yeah. There’s a bunch of white and pale brown and black hair that most likely belongs to the little animal climbing over Noctis’ couch.

Noct smiles and nods to her. “Better hand it over then. In case she wants to sleep.”

Prompto grins and, after a look through the room, puts it in front of one of the large window panels. “For sunbathing,” he says.

“Sure,” Noct says, and slowly approaches the couch. The cat has settled down on the back of the couch seat, resting on it like a loaf on a throne. Noctis sits down next to her and just looks.

He’d like to touch and pet her, and she seemed easy enough when Prompto held her just minutes enough, but maybe that’s just because she had already known him. Noctis is new.

Prompto drops onto the other end of the couch and casually massages his fingertips into the fur of her neck. She rubs her head against his knuckles and starts to purr loud enough that Noctis almost feels it where he sits on the couch, or so he thinks.  

“I think she’s too young to be neutered.”

“Hm?” he says.

Prompto looks at him, still petting the cat. “I mean, I dunno what neutered boy cats look like – do they just cut off the balls or what?”

Noctis shrugs. As if he’d know.

“Huh. Anyway,” Prompto says, “look at how small she is. I mean, isn’t she, like, tiny? I bet she’s still a baby or something.”

Noctis looks at her again. Prompto’s right, she does look small. Prompto doesn’t have the biggest hands, but she looks tiny under him. Are there cat races that are so little?

“I mean, she’s probably too young to get neutered, is what I wanted to say. That’s why I think she’s a girl. Maybe we can take her to the vet?”

“Hm,” Noctis says. Right, an animal needs more than just water and sunshine. Ignis comes back to his mind, silently watering the plants in Noctis’ home. He would know what to do if the cat would suddenly get sick, would he? Ignis always seems to know everything.

“Would you just carry her like you did today?” he grins.

Prompto bites his lip. “... probably not a good idea, huh?”

Noctis huffs. “We could buy her a crate? I mean.” He blinks. “Shit, where is she gonna do her business? Prompto, we need to go and buy some stuff, if she pees in here or worse Iggy’s gonna kill me.”

Prompto looks at him with big eyes. “Shit. You’re right.” He glances at the cat, still sitting – or lying, it’s sort of an half-half thing – on the back of the couch. “If we buy it online it probably won't arrive before tomorrow, huh?”

Noctis shakes his head. “Wouldn’t be that bad for most things I guess, but dude, she needs a toilet. Where did she even go when she was with you?”

Prompto blushes. “I kinda, uh, just let her out the door? There’s a little flower bed in the front, with some bushes, she went in there this morning before I came here.”

Noctis remembers that little patch from the few times he went over to Prompto’s place.

“Okay, wait," Prompto says. "I think we have two options. I could go buy some litter and meanwhile you look if you have a cardboard box or something lying around somewhere? I’ll get some food for her as well.”

“And what if I don’t? Who keeps boxes, Prom?”

Prompto shoots him a look. “Plebs like me, man. You never know what you can use them for?”

Noctis huffs. “I can look, but. No promises. You think Iggy would be mad if we used one of the baking trays instead?”

Prompto’s eyes grow huge and then he snorts. “Dude, he’d be so mad, let’s- better not do that.” He chuckles.

“Okay, so what do we do if I don’t have anything to put the litter in?”

“Option two, Noct. We call Gladio and ask him to drive us to a pet supply store, so we can get some essentials!” Prompto grins wide, obviously pleased with himself at his idea.

Noctis checks his phone for the time. It’s only two in the afternoon; if Prompto returns from his shopping trip and they still have nothing to use as a cat toilet, there’ll still be enough time to get help. Hopefully.

“Why Gladio, though? Why not Iggy?”

“Noct, buddy. We don’t want Iggy to associate the kitty with work. If he’s gonna meet her first without any strings attached, he’ll be more open to the idea!”

Noctis blinks. “You thought this through.”

Prompto grins. “Kinda. Plus, I know Gladio has a thing for cats.”

That’s a surprise. “He does?”

Prompto nods. “Yep. I dunno the details, but I think his family had one when he was younger?”

“Huh.” That’s… interesting. He didn’t know that. He can’t remember Clarus or Gladio ever talking about a pet, either. Or maybe he just didn’t pay attention.

What hurts a little bit is that Prompto apparently knows his shield better than Noct does.

“I didn’t know you two hang out together.” It sounds more upset than he intended.

Prompto freezes. The cat rubs her head against his hand again after a moment, perhaps trying to coax him into petting her some more.

“I-“ Prompto swallows and he looks everywhere but Noctis’ face.

There’s a cold, empty feeling growing in his stomach.

“I wasn’t- we only started to meet recently, you know?”

Noctis doesn’t know.

“I mean.” Prompto’s hands are suddenly everywhere, gesticulating wildly between them.“Shit, Noct, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it’d be like this, you know? I thought it’d be, like, _one_ date, and then he’d lose whatever interest he had and I thought it’d be easier to just ignore the whole thing after-“

“Wait, what? Date?” His head is spinning with this sudden pile of new information.

Prompto blanches and looks at him like a deer caught in headlights.

Noctis stares right back, unsure what to say.

Prompto breathes in deeply, steering his gaze away from Noct, over the couch to the carpet to the coffee table.

“Yeah,” he chokes out.

It’s silent again, Prompto’s hands clenched tightly in his lap. The atmosphere is weirdly tense and more awkward than any situation has been between them in years.

The cold feeling is quickly ebbing away from Noct. He watches Prompto, clearly tense and uncomfortable, chewing on his lips and avoiding looking at him, like he expects to be chided or something. Noctis doesn’t like seeing his best friend like this.

“It went well then?” he finally says, and smiles a little when Prompto’s head jerks back at him in surprise.

There’s another heavy moment, like Prompto expects the other shoe to drop.

But when nothing happens, he relaxes and smiles one of his rare, shy smiles that are usually reserved only for Noct – a privilege Noct will probably have to share with Gladio soon, he realizes with another twinge in his heart.

“Yeah,” Prompto breathes, “it was… really nice.”

Noctis decides to push his negative feelings far away from him. It was kind of stupid to get this worked up in the first place, wasn’t it? Prompto is his best friend, and of course he would get into a relationship at some point. He should probably be happy that it’s Gladio, because that means Prompto will still be around a lot, with Gladio basically _having_ to be with Noct.

Really, it could be worse.

And Prompto for sure has his reasons for not saying anything to him, Noct tells himself. They won’t shut him out. He’s not going to lose his best friend.

“So you two are an item now?”

Prompto blushes and shrugs. “Dunno. We… haven’t talked about that, I guess? It’s just. We’re going on dates and talk a lot and. Uhm.” He’s picking on his nails.

“And?” Noctis says and grins. “Getting all shy, huh?”

“Noct!” Prompto slams his hands in front of his face, hiding himself away. Noctis still can see the red of his ears. “Dude, I never talk to anyone about stuff like that!”

“ _Stuff like that_ , okay,” Noctis grins.

Prompto yelps and takes his hands away from his face, glaring at him. “Kiss! We kiss, okay?”

“Oooh,” Noct makes and Prompto shoves him, hard.

He’s deep red. “You’re so stupid, you nerd!”

Noctis chuckles and waves his hands at Prompto. “Relax. As if you wouldn’t tease me for that.”

Prompto grins at him and, just like that, they’re back to their usual cozy and easy way with each other.

“So,” Noct says, “to get back to the cat. Why don’t we get your boyfriend-“

“He’s not my boyfriend.”

Noctis shoots him a bored look. “Fine, your not-boyfriend, why don’t we get him right from the start?”

“Huh?”

“He has a car and he’ll probably be happy to see you.”

Prompto blushes. “You think he won’t be upset that we use him as delivery guy?”

Noct shrugs. “Don’t think so. Not if we go with him.”

“Who’s gonna watch the cat, then?”

Noct looks at her. She’s still on her spot on the couch, but it looks like she has fallen asleep. One of her paws has slipped down the couch a bit and her head hangs low in front of her in a weird angle.

She looks like a little idiot and Noct is sort of pleased with that. She’ll fit in with them well.

“I’ll stay here then, you two can go. Take my phone so you can pay for all that stuff.”

Prompto is silent and when Noct looks back at him, he’s chewing his lips.

“Don’t worry about it,” Noct says and nudges Prompto’s shoulder.

They smile at each other and it takes a moment before Prompto slowly pulls his phone out of his pocket. “I’ll call Gladdy then?”

Noct nods and leans back against the couch. He hears Prompto’s shy hello to Gladio, and the explanation of their situation. It’s not often that he sees Prompto so at easy on the phone. Usually, they’re both eager to avoid calling anyone, ordering stuff online or going places to avoid having to talk to people.

Hell, he’s seen Prompto getting nervous speaking with his parents on the phone, so it’s nice to see him this comfortable and relaxed.

He looks over to the cat again. She’s really cute.

Her fur is mostly white, but there are two big patches of black and pale brown all over her back and her head, divided only by a small line of white fur just behind her front legs. Her face is mostly dark, too, except for her mouth –Noctis wonders if that’s the proper terminology – and her nose. The white fur looks like a big teardrop in the middle of her face. In reverse, the dark fur looks a little like a superhero mask, especially with her pointy ears standing straight up.

Noctis likes her. From what he’s seen so far, she seems to be a bit dorky and affectionate, and half the time she has been in his living room by now she has spent sleeping. They’ll be good friends.

If no one already owns her, that is.

“Gladdy’s gonna be here in about 30,” Prompto says and throws his phone onto the coffee table.

Noctis blinks at him. “Ah,” he says. He missed half of what Prompto said to Gladio on the phone.

He stretches and yawns, sliding down a little on the couch. “You wanna do something until then?”

“We could feed her. I’m not sure how often she needs food, I last gave her something this morning.” Prompto glances at the clock in the kitchen.

Noctis smirks. “What, you gave her a sandwich?” 

“Ha ha,” Prompto deadpans. “I bought some cat food, like, a few packs? There’s only two left, I brought them, so if we feed her now you’ll still have something for her for dinner.”

So they feed the cat. Or, Prompto does. Noctis gets him a little dish where they put the food on and then they watch as the kitty stretches, climbs off the couch and slowly approaches the dish.

She doesn’t seem crazy about the food just yet, but perhaps that’s also because he and Prompto are sitting right next to it on the floor, watching her eat a few bites.

She finishes about half of it and then seems to lose interest. Instead, she looks at Prompto and hops over to climb into his lap.

The grin on Prompto’s face is almost splitting his head in half.

“Looks like you’re her favorite already,” Noct says with a smirk.

“Nah,” Prompto says, watching her with a pretty smitten expression. “I took her home and gave her something to eat. She’ll warm up to you, don’t worry.”

“Does she need stuff to play with?” Noctis remembers that whenever they visit one of the big malls together and stumble through the shops, at some point there are always loads of pet toys around. Does a kitten need much?

Prompto shrugs. “Probably. Maybe some plushies or something she can chew on? I don’t know. We should ask Gladdy when he’s here.”

That doesn’t take long. Gladio rings the door only about twenty minutes after Prompto had called him, which means that either the traffic was easy today, or he sped to get here.

Noct gets the door because the cat is still sprawled in Prompto’s lap, and instead of saying hello Gladio just considers him with an amused expression that seems to say _I’m up for shenanigans_.

“Princess,” he nods and Noct rolls his eyes.

“Hey, big guy.”

Gladio comes in and takes his shoes off. He looks like he’d been just relaxing at home, wearing a black tank top and baggy grey sweatpants. He brought a big, rounded plastic box that he puts down next to the shoes.

“So, where’s the culprit?”

Noctis nods to where Prompto sits behind the kitchen counter. Gladio wasn’t completely clear who he meant with _culprit_ , but since he asked Noct to lead him, Noctis is at least sure it’s not him.

They go over to Prompto cooing at the cat, and Gladio makes an enamored sound that catches Noctis a bit by surprise.

Prompto’s head whips up and him and his mouth falls open. His eyes move up and down over Gladio and he blushes and swallows.

“Hi Gladio,” he croaks, and Noctis has a hard time hiding his grin.

He didn’t expect this to be so amusing.

“Hey,” Gladio says with a lopsided smile.

Noctis wonders how long that thing between them has really been going on, because he’s pretty sure he could not have possibly missed any signs like this before. Either they really just got started a few weeks ago or something, or he really needs to pay more attention.

It’s astounding how much there is too see when he just _observes_. Ignis would be proud.

“Sweet little thing,” Gladio says, nodding at the kitty.

Prompto blushes more, like it’s him being addressed.

Noctis watches with envy how Gladio, just like that, crouches down and stretches out his hand to scratch the kitten’s neck. She leans her head back, obviously enjoying the attention.

Had Noct known it was that easy, he had already pet her on the couch. Damn it.

Prompto smiles. “Let’s go, then?”

Gladio, as it turns out, brought a crate for the cat from home. They change their plans and decide to take her to the vet first and then go shopping for some supplies. Gladio says his family vet is usually open for walk-ins, but he makes a quick call to confirm it, just in case.

Noctis is… surprised by how unexpectedly supportive Gladio is. He’s not asking any questions, he’s not making fun of them, he’s completely going with their ideas.

It’s weird. Noctis isn’t sure if he can deal with Gladio not being a teasing asshole.

The cat falls asleep almost immediately when they put it in the crate with the blanket Prompto brought, and for once Noctis doesn’t mind sitting in the back when they get to Gladio’s car.

He watches the kitty sleep, huddled in the fluffy blanket, her paws sticking out at weird angles again.

Gladio is telling them some stories of his cats, and Prompto is delighted to learn that the Amicitias have apparently some sort of family tradition to get a kitten whenever a child is on the way. Iris’ cat is still alive, he tells them, an old gentleman who likes to nap in her bed and in front of the fireplace. Gladio’s died about three years ago apparently, at the ripe age of nineteen, and he talks about her with a lot of affection.

Noct begins to understand why Gladio seems to be up to help them with the stray.

The vet, when they arrive, is a nice, older woman who is done with the examination before the kitty really realizes what’s going on.

“There’s no chip,” she says, and joy bubbles up in Noct. Nobody is going to claim her back. It’s theirs now, Prompto’s and his.

They have to answer some questions, and then the little girl is chipped. They get some routine medication for her, to get rid of possible parasites, and the vet recommends a flea shampoo they’ll have to buy.

“Nothing bad,” she tells them. “It’s more of a precaution.”

And then that’s it.

The cat is hiding in the crate when they leave. Noctis tries to win her favor while they’re driving to the pet supply store, but it’s fruitless. She’s sulky from the chip injection, he reckons, so he just sticks to watching her fluffy butt through the bars of the crate door.

The store Gladio is taking them to is a big building in a shopping street with some parking lots around the back. It’s late afternoon by now and the sun is low enough to throw long shadows.

“Are we just gonna leave her in the car?” Prompto says, visibly unhappy.

Gladio shrugs. “It ain’t too hot and we can crack open a window.”

Noctis feels much like his best friend – the thought of just leaving her alone makes him a bit uncomfortable. He starts to fumble for his phone.

“I’ll stay here,” he says, handing the little rectangle over to Prompto.

Gladio cocks an eyebrow at him. “Not gonna choose what you’ll have in your apartment?”

Noct shrugs. “Prompto knows what I like, I trust him to pick some cool things.”

Prompto grins at gives him a thumbs-up. “Alright, buddy!”

He and Gladio get out the car and, like an after-thought, Prompto opens the door to the backseats and tosses his battered phone at Noct. “In case we need longer,” he says, and then they’re gone.

Noct pulls the door close and slumps a little in his seat.

The cat is still sulking – or sleeping, it’s hard to tell when all you see is a pile of fluff – so, Noct thinks, it’ll probably okay to open the crate.

He sits there for the first few minutes a little lost. He’d like to pet the cat, but he’s still a bit worried she might not like any advances now, right after someone shot a little chip right into her neck.

He takes Prompto’s phone and starts to play King’s Knight. It’s not his account, but he doesn’t mind leveling for his best friend. It’s a little lame, playing just by himself, but he doesn’t have much choice at the moment.

Every now and then he sneaks glances over to the cat, but she never comes out, and at some point Noctis realizes that they will need a name for her.

The cold shoulder she’s giving him right now reminds him of Ignis, and Noctis’ face splits into a very dirty grin. He imagines playing with _Ignis_ while Ignis is there, trying to get through some documents with him, and oh, it would drive him up the walls.

Noctis seriously considers it for a hot second, but then decides that he prioritizes living over teasing his advisor.

He chews his lip, trying to come up with something else, only half paying attention to the game in his hands. Maybe he should wait for Prompto, see if he has an idea already.

Suddenly there’s a soft _mrrrw_ next to him, and he almost drops the phone.

The cat has at some point turned in the crate and is now looking at him, resting again in the loaf-shape, only the tips of her front paws sticking out from under her fluffy body. It’s ridiculously cute, and Noctis has the brilliant idea to close King’s Knight and snap a picture of her instead.

It’s probably miserable by Prompto’s standards, but now he has a photo of _their_ cat on his phone. He’ll get over it.

Noctis inhales. He puts the phone down. This is his chance.

“Hey,” he says gently, extending his hand to her.

She regards him with something like careful curiosity, if cats can have an expression like that, and then, Noctis’ fingers slowly sink into the fur at her neck, just like he had seen Prompto and Gladio do earlier. She’s _so_ soft.

She cocks her head and her eyes shut, and she definitely looks like she’s enjoying it.

Noctis laughs. He feels breathless and light.

“You’re gonna live with me,” he says. “And Prompto is gonna visit and stay over. There’s lots of places to sleep at home.”

She starts purring softly, and Noctis is somehow really happy about it.

“We’ll get you real nice food and toys, too.”

He continues to scratch her, and she rubs her head against his hand. If this is what having a cat is like, Noct is pretty upset at himself for not getting one sooner. He can feel his cheeks crinkling around his smile.

He gets a bit more comfortable in the car seat. He kind of wished she would lie in his lap, but he doesn’t know how to lift her properly, and he doesn’t want to scare her away by doing something wrong. Patience is key, Ignis would say.

Noctis sighs, and slowly, he drifts away, the evening sun in his neck and the kitten’s soft purring lulling him into sleep.

He wakes up when Prompto knocks at the window of his door, a huge smile on his face, while he hears the trunk being opened. He blinks, disoriented for a moment, and then realizes there’s heat next to his thigh.

He looks down and breaks into a smile, too.

The cat must have crept out of the crate at some point, because she’s sprawling over the seat, body twisted in a weird shape that looks damn uncomfortable yet again, her head resting against Noct’s leg.

It’s _adorable_. Noctis huffs out a laugh, careful not to move too much.

He can hear Prompto and Gladio talking outside, and then Prompto opens the door to the shotgun and sits down, twisting back immediately to watch them.

“Looks like you had a good time,” he grins.

The kitty slowly blinks at him and yawns, stretching all her limbs from her.

Noctis carefully lifts his hands and places it on her back. The fur there is soft, too, although not as fluffy as around her neck.

“Yeah,” he says. “I hope she keeps liking me.”

“Ah, don’t worry, buddy. You probably have a similar demand for sleep, I feel like you’re gonna get along great.”

Noctis is not below stretching his tongue out at Prompto, who gasps and does it right back.

They grin at each other when Gladio sits down in the front seat.

“Back home,” he announces, and starts the car.

“What did you end up buying? Any problems?” Noct says.

“Uh, there was this super creepy guy working for the store-“

“’Manager’, he said,” Gladio chimes in.

“Right, ‘manager’,” Prompto says, rolling his eyes. “Wonder how he got that position.”

“Why was he creepy?” Noct asks.

“Dude, he was, like, super touchy and slimy? I dunno, he got so close and was saying all these things, like,” Prompto sits up and lilts his voice, “ _Oh, a collar would be a fine investment indeed, isn’t it just a wonderful multi-purpose item?_ ” Prompto shudders and Gladio actually growls in the driver’s seat.

“Uh,” Noct says.

“And then he had this, like, deep red hair and he was quite old as well? And he had this super weird outfit.” Prompto shakes his head, a forced smile on his face. “I really don’t know how that guy ended up selling stuff for pets. He looked _so_ out of place”

“He looked like he was about to pull Prompto into the next closet,” Gladio says low. “I’ve never seen that creep  before.”

Noctis blinks, confused. He’s not sure if the image his mind has created is correct, but it’s probably good they didn’t go alone. Noctis doesn’t exactly have a history of dealing well with strangers.

“So, what did you get?” he says.

“Oh, right,” Prompto says. “Uh, we got a litter box with a lid and some litter Gladio said was good. And, lil dishes for food and water, and some dry food, some toys, uh, the flea shampoo the vet said we should get. Uh. Anything else?” He turns to Gladio.

“The brush. Makes it easier with the hair. And some small trash bags for the litter.”

Noctis nods. It sounds like more than he had expected. He wonders what all the stuff looks like and hopes that Gladio will show them how to use some of it.

The drive back to Noctis’ place is pretty uneventful. The sun is down almost completely and the sky over Insomnia is tinged in dark blues, deep purple and a slice of pink.

Noctis is still a bit sleepy, and the cat fell asleep early on again.

Prompto and Gladio are chatting quietly in the front of the car and it’s weirdly comfortable. Noctis is somehow aware that they’re almost at home, but he’s sort of sad about it.

He doesn’t know why this feels so peaceful and bittersweet at the same time. He knows that he used to drive with his father a lot in the Regalia, when he was little. Maybe it’s because those memories are similar to now, the feeling of being in between worlds, of someone talking to him gently, of being safe.

He sighs and focuses his view on Prompto’s profile, or at least the bit he can see behind the seat.

His best friend is smiling and talking at Gladio, looking very much at peace as well.

Noctis really likes this. He had forgotten how sometimes, it feels like you’re fleeing reality on a long car journey.

Maybe they can do a road trip together someday, try to keep this feeling up for more than an hour or two.

Noctis is napping again when they arrive at his place. Prompto carefully shakes him awake and together they coax the kitten back into the crate.

It’s the first time that Noct sees all the purchases, and he immediately likes the colors Prompto chose.

They try to jam all the small things into the litter box in Prompto’s arms. Noctis scours his pockets for his keys, carefully holding the crate plus kitten in his other hand, while Gladio has the big bags of litter and dry food in one hand each.

Setting everything up is surprisingly quick.

Gladio cleans the food and water dish and fills them, telling Noctis that he has to expect some spillage in the first few days to weeks. He shows them how to set up the litter box and how to clean it, and then they are already sitting down unpacking the toys.

Noctis is weirdly excited about this part, and he really likes what Prompto chose.

There’s a small rod with a bright blue feather attached, a little fish plushy that apparently contains some catnip, a squeaky, green malboro that looks like it will withstand some serious chewing, and a coeurl plush. 

Noctis looks around his apartment, Gladio and Prompto sitting on the floor in the middle of cat toys, a cat brush and some cat shampoo, and suddenly, it hits him.

He has a cat now.

There’s a cat _living in his apartment_ now.

He swallows. He’ll be responsible for another living being.

“Prompto,” he says faintly, “you’re not gonna leave me alone with this, right?”

Prompto smiles at him, waving the rod around. “Nope. Dude, I brought her in, I want to be around her as much as possible.”

There’s a moment of silence in which Noctis tries to fight the clammy feeling down.

“Just ask if there’s a problem,” Gladio suddenly says. “Pretty sure Iggy will have an eye on her, too. It’ll be fine.”

Noctis exhales slowly and nods. Yeah. It’ll be fine.

“We still have to name her,” he says.

Prompto drops the rod, all attention on Noct. “Right,” he says, “I’ve been just calling her kitty… you have an idea?”

Noctis smirks. “How about Cor?”

Gladio snorts while Prompto blanches.

“Dude, no. Noct, no, he’s training me, _why_?”

Noctis’ smirk grows into a grin. “I was thinking about Ignis first, because she was so sulky in the car.”

Now Gladio outright laughs.

Prompto doesn’t seem to know whether he should be amused or desperate.

“I can’t name her Ignis though, he’d end me.”

“Oh, but naming her after the Marshall is any better?” Prompto says.

Noctis shrugs. “I always though Cor and Iggy are pretty similar.”

Prompto seems doubtful. “What?”

“You’ve a point there,” Gladio says. “Both pretty serious. Sassy, if they want.”

“I hardly believe that, dude,” Prompto says faintly.

Gladio grins at him, putting another blush on Prompto’s face. “Cor doesn’t do it often, ‘specially not around trainees. Trust me, he is.”

“Uh-huh,” makes Prompto.

“Plus,” Noctis says, “they both have a thing for Ebony. I’ve seen Cor down at least two cans in the mornings when they made me come to train early.”

Gladio nods at him. “True that.”

Prompto still looks unconvinced. “Okay, so… Cor. I… I kinda see it. But, dude, I don’t know if I can keep a straight face when I have to look at him and think of her.”

Noct smirks at him again. “I’m sure you’ll make it.”

“See it as a way for you to relax around him, Prompto,” Gladio says.

“Huh?”

“You’re too nervous around him. Maybe, if you associate him with something less threatening, you’ll relax a little.”

Prompto looks a bit embarrassed.

It’s a good idea, Noctis thinks. He doesn’t know much about psychology and all of that mental stuff, but if the kitty would help Prompto through Crownsguard training, that’d be nice.

“Cor Leonis it is, then,” he says.

Prompto looks up at him. “Cor Leonis,” he says, cocking his head, “or Cor the Immortal?”

Noctis blinks. He can hear Gladio snicker.

“That. That’s even better.” He grins. “Cor the Immortal then. Good idea, Prom.”

Prompto grins back.

Gladio coughs, drawing their attention to him. “Now that that’s settled, how ‘bout we get some dinner?”

That’s a good idea, Noct thinks. It’s almost completely dark outside by now, and the clock says it’s close to seven. It’s starting to get dark early again. They could use some food.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket, flipping through his apps.

“Let’s order something?” he says.

They end up with three bowls of delicious ramen and a portion of deep-fried chicken. It’s one of Prompto’s and Noct’s favorite delivery services and Gladio seems to be quite pleased with the noodle soup.

Half-way through their meal, Cor the kitten is waking up and wandering over to them, probably drawn in by the smell of food.

“Don’t give her any of that,” Gladio says. “You gotta discourage her from begging for people food right from the start, or else she’ll bother you all the time once she’s bigger.”

They both nod, keeping their bowls and the chicken out of her reach. It’s harder than Noctis would have thought to withstand her little meows and her big eyes watching his dinner disappear in his mouth.

Prompto finishes early and gently grabs her, lifting her high over his head.

“From this very day thee shall be named _Cor the Immortal_ ,” he proclaims, singing a high melody that sounds vaguely familiar to Noct.

Gladio grins and shakes his head. “Pretty sure she’s gonna have a good time with you nerds.”

Prompto laughs and Noctis grumbles a weak _Hey!_ to his shield.

Cor the immortal kitty meows from her place high up in Prompto’s hands. Overall, she seems pretty okay with this.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> How did you like the thinly-veiled Ardyn cameo? 
> 
>  
> 
> Thank you for reading. Please let me know what you think!
> 
> Talk to me on [Tumblr](http://peachypotpourri.tumblr.com) <3 You can watch Ardyn the kitty [here](http://lhugbereth.tumblr.com/tagged/ardynkitty) at Lhugy's


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